There but for the grace of Russ go us...and an open letter from Ryan Wherley

http://monologuesofdissent.blogspot.com/2012/03/there-but-for-grace-of-russ-go-usand.html

It is no secret that former U.S. Senator and champion of justice Russ Feingold is best qualified and best positioned to undo the harm future former governor Scott Walker has done to Wisconsin. It's no secret that the people of Wisconsin overwhelmingly want him to run in the recall election. And it's no secret that I personally hold him in an esteem nearly high enough to warrant an intervention. I will never get over him losing (to Ron Johnson! inconceivable!) in 2010, and not even replying to the most passionate plea I have ever set loose into the world in my open letter begging him, for the sake of all that is FORWARD, to heed our call. But, alas, he keeps saying no. And then, he said yes to Obama. So I begin, slowly and painfully, to accept that I will have to wait a little longer to vote for Russ again, and I begin, slowly and sweetly, to dream of President Feingold, who may or may not need at that time a speechwriter or something and might remember me fondly and...I digress.

So the elephant is in the room, and it is a donkey: if not Russ, who?

We've got some great choices. Former long-time Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and Fab 14 Senator Kathleen Vinehout have officially launched campaigns. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is supposedly going to do so, soon, as is Secretary of State Doug La Follette. Who knows who else might join the race? As we get to know these potential candidates, we're seeing all kinds of arguments for and against and around and between, but my friend and now two-time MoD guest-poster Ryan Wherley has once again put his own thoughts into an open letter that he first published on Daily Kos (where he blogs as WiscoWherls) and kindly allowed us to share here. Ryan likes Assembly Speaker Peter Barca, and for all the right reasons. He makes a compelling case. Check it out: